The ongoing conflict in Gaza has sparked a heated exchange between the White House and the BBC regarding the media’s portrayal of a recent incident involving Israeli forces. The White House has accused the BBC of misrepresenting a report related to a fatal attack in Gaza, prompting a rebuttal from the British broadcaster.
In a press briefing, Leavitt told reporters that the administration was monitoring reports on the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Just like you, they are actively piecing together the truth behind these claims. He mentioned that the administration is not accepting Hamas’s word on anything.
In his criticism of the BBC’s coverage, Leavitt charged that the BBC had pulled a story after re-watching graphic footage. He stated, “And then, oh, wait, they had to correct and take down their entire story, saying: ‘We reviewed the footage and couldn’t find any evidence of anything.’” BBC promptly denied the allegation. In response, they stated that the notion of having removed a story is “totally inaccurate.”
Jeremy Bowen, the BBC’s international editor with nearly 40 years of experience reporting on wars, and Jonathan Munro, deputy director of BBC News who has covered over 20 conflicts, defended the organization’s commitment to accurate journalism. Munro remarked, “It’s important that accurate journalism is respected, and that governments call for free access to Gaza.” As fierce international criticism continues, the BBC has asked for immediate access to the region in order to conduct independent reporting.
The uproar began after video evidence surfaced of Israeli military shooting indiscriminately in the vicinity of an UNWRA aid distribution center in Rafah. In response to questions about these reports, Leavitt reiterated his skepticism towards information sourced from Hamas, stating, “We like to look into it when they speak, unlike the BBC.”
As tensions escalate in Gaza, the BBC has maintained that casualty numbers from the incident were updated throughout the day based on multiple sources. In a volatile war zone such as Gaza, things happen quickly. Journalists should be making updates, changes, and corrections their regular practice. To this, the BBC added the chilling caveat that, “This is absolutely standard procedure on any breaking news story.”
The BBC’s strong response sheds light on a painful reality that many international journalists face when trying to report from within Gaza. This is, critics charge, an intentional effort by Israel to limit access of media to control the narratives that unfold around its military operations. This lack of independent verification presents a challenge when seeking to verify what has occurred. It has a pernicious effect of suppressing tension between the media and government agencies.